Onkyo FR-435 - CD player, Mini-Disc recorder and receiver hi-fi+ technical review

Speaking of bargains, the whole shebang retails for about UK£600. Which naturally means it can't possibly be any good, right? Wrong! The FR-435 turns out to be surprisingly, remarkably, frighteningly, disturbingly accomplished. And while I'm not planning to sell my current system in order to replace it with one, the briefest thought did flit through my mind. I mean, why not sell while the market's still reasonably bouyant? The Onkyo FR-435 could herald the death of enthusiast hi-fi as we know it.

Actually, before I get too carried away with my own rhetoric, it has to be said that the FR-435 doesn't quite make quality separates obsolete. Keen enthusiasts who cherry-pick each individual component to create a system that's exactly right for their taste and living space may well be able to come up with a combination that beats the FR-435 though probably not at a comparably low price.

What the FR-435 offers is clean focussed sound that's crisp and sharply defined, plus enough power (Onkyo quote 43W into 4 ohms) to cater for most people's needs. The tonal balance is bright and open, yielding a lucid, transparent, honest sonic presentation. It's a hugely enjoyable sound, partly because there's no pretence involved -musically it lays all its cards on the table and never bites off more than it can chew.

Finesse and subtlety aren't absent. But being hypercritical I didn't quite experience the delicacy and fine shades of tone colour I routinely take for granted with my home set up. Nor is there the same depth and spaciousness in terms of soundstaging. The bottom end hasn't quite the rich voluminous weight of my EAR 859 integrated valve amp, and there's a slight thinness at treble extremes. Nothing terrible - but not quite as effortless and refined as I've grown used to.

In view of this, I found I preferred to use the FR- 435 with a degree of treble cut (yes it's got tone controls as well) - say -2dB to -4dB - which helped create a more balanced relationship between high and low frequencies. Onkyo claim the FR-435's amplifier is capable of high current delivery, and the sound certainly had plenty of drive on demanding material.

In the end I decided to laugh because products like the FR-435 put excellent quality sound within the reach of virtually everyone. Not only that, the simplicity of the unit makes installation a doddle; Just hook up a set of loudspeakers and you're in business. There's even a set of patch points at the back allowing you to wire-in devices of your choice between pre and power amp. Thinks; I could buy an FR-435 and still use all my extra signal processing boxes! Most of my listening was undertaken using CD, and the remarks made about sonic performance relate to silver disc. Minidisc lost some of the brilliance and immediacy of CD, but still sounded very creditable with only a slight lack of range to grumble about. FM reception is very difficult where I live at ground level facing West (Wrotham is South East) surrounded by tall buildings. And broadcast quality varies considerably. But even with a simple indoor aerial the FR-435's RDS tuner worked well.

Actually, I've just done something I hate when I see others doing it; making comparisons between products of wildly differing cost, then banging on about how the cheaper item doesn't quite cut it against the more expensive one. Time for a reality check; the FR-435 retails for approximately a quarter of what the EAR-859 costs - and comes with `free' CD, mini-disc, and FM radio. 'Nuff said!

Relating sonic differences to price, and taking into account the added space and complexity of a typical separates system, comparisons start to look more and more shaky. Yes, you could well do better with carefully chosen separates. But it takes an almost disproportionate degree of cost and effort to achieve that final increase in performance. After sampling the FR-435, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry..

For a machine that offers such a wide range of options and facilities, it's remarkable how simple and straightforward the FR-435 is to operate. The basic controls are on the front panel, with some lesserused ones hidden beneath a hinged flap. More involved operations are carried out using the remote handset, and a comprehensive illuminated display keeps you informed as to what's happening.

It's so nice to press just a single button to switch the whole system on. In the past I've owned systems where there were so many separate boxes, it took the best part of ten minutes to get everything powered up. Not only that, you had to remember the correct order in which to switch the different bits on - otherwise nasty booms and bangs would result.

The FR-435 not only sells at a very reasonable price. It also saves you a small fortune on interconnects like, you don't need any! For the purist who believes in short signal paths, what could be better than an all-in-one unit like this? You couldn't get things any closer. But isn't there a danger that the different parts will interact and create an adverse state of affairs?

Sure it's a possibility. Fortunately, Onkyo have provided adequate screening between sections, and employ separate transformers for analogue and digital circuits. To ensure long life and stable operation, the heat-producing power transistors are screened from low level components - though used at average volume levels with efficient speakers the FR-435 produced very little surplus heat.

Operationally, the FR-435 is very user-friendly I really liked the Multi Jog knob that fulfils multiple functions, including track selection (CD or MD) at a frighteningly fast pace. You also use this knob to adjust bass and treble tone controls, and select the station on the tuner. Having a single multi-function control retains a nice simple fascia, avoiding a front plate that's festooned with knobs and buttons.

The selling price may be low, but build quality is very good you only have to lift the FR-435 to know; it's reassuringly heavy. A solid chunky piece of kit, the chassis is all metal and feels substantial. The silver finish gives the unit a slightly retro look, and the build likewise harks back to an earlier period in time when products were made to last.

The FR-435's excellent sonics are perhaps no accident. Onkyo claim the CD section is derived from the company's higher-end players using audiophile-standard components. Likewise, the amplifier is based on technology found in Onkyo's leading edge components. The result is a versatile component offering superb performance in a neat convenient package.

In the course of this review I've treated the FR-435 as an alternative to the usual scenario of separates hi-fi. But, teamed up with suitable speakers, it could of course form the centrepiece of a second system used elsewhere in the house, or the perfect student set-up. However, don't start blaming me if the Onkyo package outperforms your main system - I'm only the messenger (and I don't mean Paul or Melinda).

Because of what it is, the FR-435 will never be regarded as a true audiophile component by equipment snobs. But Onkyo is a brand with a distinguished history, as anyone who remembers their 733 amplifier from 1972 will no doubt acknowledge. To keep signal paths short, this amplifier had its input and output terminals in a recessed panel on the top of the case. And it had a built-in MC cartridge input; not bad for the early '70s!